Warns Acting Administrator and Former King Coal Lobbyist Andrew Wheeler A Direct Threat To Agency Mission

Washington (July 5, 2018) - Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), member of the Environment and Public Works Committee, released the following statement upon announcement of the resignation of Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt.

"The best thing Scott Pruitt ever did for the environment was to resign from the EPA," said Senator Markey. "From moving to roll back strong fuel economy standards, to repealing the Clean Power Plan, to undermining chemical regulation, to suppressing climate science, to advocating for U.S. withdrawal from the Paris climate agreement, Scott Pruitt made the EPA stand for Every Polluter's Ally.”

"Elevating former coal lobbyist Andrew Wheeler to head the EPA is only trading one fossil fuel friend for another. We must continue to fight the fossil-fuel entrenched interests that have gripped the EPA and want to undermine the public's health and progress on climate action. The future of our public lands, our waterways and oceans, and the very health of the entire planet rest on the continued action of all Americans to take back the EPA from Big Oil and King Coal."